I was browsing RightStuf a few minutes ago, and saw that there is going to be another edition of Ergo Proxy released on September 29. I wouldn't be bitching about this if there wasn't already a Thinpak out. If you have that (and I suspect that anyone who wanted it does), what is the point of releasing another collection?

Anime is notorious for this. They did it with Azumanga Daioh and Elfen Lied, both of which I already had in Thinpaks. I might as well keep them.

I can see replacing single discs and bulky box sets with season sets and complete collections. That I get. Hell, I've done it because it saves space. What I don't understand is why they need to release another Thinpak after the first one, when it's the exact same thing.

Does this make sense to anyone else?

Its probably a reprinting of the first with added features. Like they only printed so many, and now the demand is higher so they are printing more, with added features to make those who bought one before buy again?

It's not a re-printing of the first one, but rather an entirely new set.

Compare the Azumanga Daioh Thinpak with the Complete Collection.

It's the same thing in different packaging, and I can't see demand being high enough to justify it. Even if it is, they could have kept making the first one.

They may have tossed in a few new extras, but I can't see that being worth the price. There are some people who will re-buy an entire series for that purpose, but enough to make it worthwhile to produce? I doubt it.

Maybe it's just my mindset. I buy a series so I can watch it, and usually ignore the extras entirely. One copy is enough for me, and I don't understand why anyone would need to own more than that.

Disney and Star Wars are bad about this, too.

The Dragonball franchise (Dragonball Z specifically) has this issue, well, here in the states with FUNimation at least.

Put it this way. Some episodes have been released on home video up to 4, count them 4 times. As compared to Japan (the shows country of origin of course) which has only had the series available on home video (DVD that is) once!

Mike LaBrie aka "VegettoEX" of DaizEX.com wrote up a pretty lengthy history of the various releases and re-re-releases if anyone is interested: http://www.daizex.com/general/feature/

It's pretty rediculous (the history of the releases, not the write up about it).

No doubt! I'm soooo glad I didn't bother with those shitty "season" sets.

A new Samurai Champloo box set was released a couple months ago:

http://www.rightstuf.com/1-800-338-6827/catalogmgr/0wXaZ=w7PcRQQZ5lZU/browse/item/83242/4/864/84

Not sure if it can be considered a Thinpak, per se, but it's certainly less cumbersome than the old one.